Automated and Human-Tended Planetary Drilling Tradeoffs
- Paper number
IAC-08.B3.6.9
- Author
Dr. Brian Glass, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Ames Research Center, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Penelope Boston, New Mexico Tech, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Andrew Hide, LogicaCMG UK Ltd, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. David Iron, Logica, United Kingdom
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Space drilling will require intelligent and autonomous systems, both for robotic exploration and to support future human exploration. Unlike on Earth, most lunar and planetary drilling will be blind. The search for evidence of extant microbial life on Mars drives the need for the eventual acquisition of core samples from subsurface depths estimated at hundreds to thousands of meters. On the Moon, eventual in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and scientific research into the history of the moon will require deep drilling, but initial lunar subsurface exploration and near-term ISRU will be accomplished with lightweight, rover-deployable or standalone drills capable of penetrating 1-20 meters in depth. These lightweight exploration drills have a direct counterpart in terrestrial prospecting and ore-body location, and will be designed to operate either teleoperated or automated. Researchers have been acquiring experience in developing and building automated and teleoperated prototype drills targeted for pre-2020 lunar flight opportunities. This paper will examine the tradeoffs and balances between humans-in-the-loop, human tending and automation in the roles needed for exploration of the subsurface on other solar system bodies, primarily focused here on operations and requirements for drilling on the Moon and Mars, as well as contrasting these locations. For example, teleoperated remote drilling control from Earth is possible on the Moon, given continuous communications and light-speed delays of a few seconds; but the >10 minute communication roundtrips mean that drills on Mars must be either fully-automated, have humans present in the vicinity (which could be in Mars orbit, or in a surface habitat, as well as on-site at the borehole) or use as yet unidentified drilling strategies. One of the purposes of lunar drilling is to develop strategies for drilling on Mars. We will also address planetary-protection issues – when must we use robotic or telerobotic drilling, even when humans are available to help? There are ways in which both robots and humans may beneficially collaborate in exploring the subsurface of other planetary bodies, including the case where humans are remotely located. For example, small microbots may be used as prospecting and forward scouting elements of a broader human-in-the-loop drilling mission. Tiny rovers might travel down shafts to take samples and collect images for remote human offsite analysis. Remote human oversight and planning are likely to come into play when a space drilling rig is to be re-used or relocated many times.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)